


~When Phantom Meets, well, Delinquent Phantom~

by 1InSaNeAnGeL



Series: ~A Phantom's Future, Always Different~ [5]
Category: Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Cute Kids, Engagement, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Future Fic, Loving Marriage, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Original Character(s), Post-Persona 3, Post-Persona 4: Golden, Post-Persona 5: The Royal, Same-Sex Marriage, Some Characters are mentioned but Not Seen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:15:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27998136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1InSaNeAnGeL/pseuds/1InSaNeAnGeL
Summary: ~One Kurusu Akira/Amamiya Ren/Persona 5 Protagonist's life with different spouses, different outlooks and different futures.~
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Series: ~A Phantom's Future, Always Different~ [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1979995
Kudos: 12





	~When Phantom Meets, well, Delinquent Phantom~

“Dad. Dad, wake up. Hey...hey!”

One Sakamoto Ryuji groaned and buried his face away in his pillow, eyes pinched shut.

“You’re awake, don’t play dumb with me! Dad!”

“Five more minutes…!” The dyed blond whined, in no time at all yanking the comforter over his head. “I had a long day yesterday.”

“So did I, remember? You’re my coach so get up! Papa’s making breakfast and told me to come get you.” The voice of a fourteen-year-old girl continued to bounce off the walls of Ryuji’s skull, followed by thin, strong hands pushing against his shoulder. “You got to sleep in, damn it. It’s almost noon!”

“Language, ‘Karu,” Ryuji grumbled, rubbing his caramel brown eyes and not bothering to stifle his drawn out, deep yawn.

“You’re scolding me for cursing, yeah you’re up so come on!” The girl was whining now, plopping down on her dad and papa’s bed and crossing her arms. “Come on, come on, come on. Come on! Come on, Dad! Dad. Dad, Dad, Dad. Dad!”

“Okay, okay! I’m up, I’m up!” Ryuji gave in, groaning as he threw the comforter off himself and sat up, slightly scowling at the girl’s grinning face. “You’re lucky I love you, baby. Or I would have thrown ya out the window.”

“Like to see you try, old man!” The girl now stood proud and tall, hands on her hips. She was still in her pajamas: a pair of red and black checkered shorts and a pink-striped yellow tank top. Her hair was a mess, because why wouldn’t it be, and she had some leftover toothpaste on her chin. “Next time I won’t wake you up, I’ll just eat your pancakes too! I could use the extra calories to burn off during our workout later today.”

“You little traitor,” Ryuji said, though he was grinning back. He stood up and stretched, surprised the window curtains weren’t pulled back. Then again if it was noon, Akira must have left them alone so Ryuji could sleep in.

He and Hikaru did come home exhausted yesterday, both physically and emotionally. They’ve been working their asses off to help Hikaru improve her long and high jumps, as she was working towards participating in her first, very first, women’s pentathlon. Sure, she was still in high school and had other aspirations like going into nursing or sports therapy, but this was still exciting news!

Sakamoto Hikaru loved track, it was in her blood practically and the idea that her friends and family were going to be on the sidelines cheering her on as she went for first place left her high on cloud nine. She can do this! She was ready! She was going to kick some major ass!

A loud gurgle came from her stomach. “After breakfast of course, I’ll kick some major ass then!”

“Again, language!”

“You curse all the time, Dad!” Hikaru protested as she followed her dad downstairs, both yawning in perfect synchronization. She pulled out the yellow hairband keeping her hair bunched up on top of her head, her hazel brown eyes half-lidded.

The poor girl was still half asleep. Like father, like daughter.

“That’s different, I’mma lost cause. There’s hope for ya!” Ryuji replied with a snort, hoping Akira didn’t mind his morning breath too much.

“There’s hope for who now?” Kurusu Akira asked with a warm smile, looking up from his pan and spatula. “Dad’s up, nice work ‘Karu!”

“Wasn’t easy, Papa! Dad sleeps like the dead.” Hikaru rolled her eyes as she said this, elbowing Ryuji lightly in the side as Akira handed her a large, red plate stacked with pancakes.

“Ain’t that the truth,” Akira pretended to sigh sadly, his eyes glistening in glee however as he pecked Ryuji lightly on the lips before handing him his plate. “Keeping us waiting, not very nice of you Ryu. You’re lucky I love you; these are fresh out of the pan.”

Ryuji turned pink around the cheeks, grumbled incoherently to himself as he shuffled for the dining table. He sat across from Hikaru, leaving the seat between them for Akira. The dyed blond watched as his daughter drowned her pancakes in sweet, sugary blueberry syrup, laughing when she spilled some all over her shirt. “Baby girl, you’re not all there!”

“Shut it, my legs are still killing me thanks to your dumb workout routines.” Hikaru pouted, shoulders slumped as she bit into a pancake whole. “If I have to cancel video games with Aoi-chan tomorrow, we’re never going to get past Waterblight Ganon!”

“Is there a sequel coming out soon?” Akira mused, joining them to eat once he served everyone orange juice. “And it’s not like you haven’t beaten _Breath of The Wild_ ten times already, ‘Karu-chan.”

“Yeah, but Aoi hasn’t.” Hikaru’s face was growing pinker and pinker, wiping syrup off her chin with the back of her hand. She made bubbles in her orange juice thanks to her favorite bendy straw, “I’ve done everything possible not to spoil anything, and you guys know me! I’m a walking spoiler corner like Dad.”

“Hey!”

“What matters is that you have fun, sweetheart,” Akira said with a simple smile, spreading butter over his stack. “Take it easy, don’t stress and everything will fall into place. You and your dad have worked really hard, I’m so proud of you!”

Ryuji’s smile softened at seeing Hikaru turn even more pinker, though she was smirking instead of looking embarrassed.

Akira always knew what to say, even if it was over something as small as pentathlon training. Contrary to popular belief, heavy sarcasm here by the way, Sakamoto Hikaru didn’t lose her cool when it came to big events like this. She didn’t second-guess herself, didn’t doubt her abilities and certainly didn’t berate herself in angry, short bursts of pent-up rage.

Again, heavy sarcasm here.

So when something like this happened, “rarely”, a pep talk from her parents managed to stir the one and only Sakamoto child out of her depressed funk. Akira and Ryuji were happy their daughter found a sport she was so passionate about, but didn’t pressure her to be perfect at it. All they wanted was for her to have fun, and to keep her grades up so she could continue participating in meets. It wasn’t easy being Shujin Academy’s track coach’s daughter, as some students thought Hikaru got it easy because of this, but the fiery-spirited teen took it all in stride.

If she had to work extra harder to prove to the guys and girls on the track team she was just as good as them, so be it. She’ll do it; her determination and stamina will say it all for her.

She was a badass! That was a fact. And not just because she was the daughter of two of the founding members of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

“You’re supposed to be proud of me,” Hikaru mumbled, gently punching her papa’s arm. “But thanks, Papa. I’ve been training so hard with Dad, I know I can do this.”

“You can, just do your best.” Akira reminded her sweetly.

A comfortable silence followed shortly afterwards, the family of three happily digging into their pancakes. Ryuji took a minute or two to look around the table, a smile pulling at his lips once again.

Hikaru remembering to chew with her mouth closed, Akira putting his phone away after quickly scrolling down his news feed. How when the two locked eyes they just started laughing because they could, Hikaru threatening to spray orange juice everywhere through her nose. How Akira wiped away the syrup from her chin, and how Hikaru blushed out of shyness because apparently Sakomotos were capable of being shy.

He didn’t think this would be his life. At one point, he was downright terrified of the future: being a single dad, left with a barely month old baby Hikaru after the mother ran out on both her and Ryuji. Struggling to make ends meet and not having a single damn clue on how to raise a kid, at one point Sakamoto Ryuji thought the world was ending. The world was ending, he was doomed and the rest was history.

Until...until Kurusu Akira stepped in and practically saved him, again. Again.

"..."

* * *

_“Dude, shit you’re givin’ up so much. You can’t be-”_

_“I can be and am serious, Ryuji. You don’t have to do this alone,” Akira gently insisted, frowning._

_Ryuji felt tears burn his eyes, though he fought to keep them in. “But why the hell would you stick around, huh? This kid’s not your problem….”_

_“She’s not a problem, she’s yours. You’re my best friend and she’s your daughter, meaning she’s my niece right? Meaning I love her to death and I’m going to be here for her. For you and her,” Akira wrapped an arm around Ryuji’s shoulders, looking down at the sleeping bundle in the dyed blonde’s arms. “It’s scary I know, I’m freaking out inside too...but we can do this.”_

_“We...shit, Aki.”_

_“I want to,” The raven smiled sweetly, and gently poked the little girl’s nose. He got a sleepy coo in return. “And she’s really cute, what more convincing do I need?”_

_“...”_

_“What’s her name, Ryu?”_

_“...H-Hikaru.”_

_“I like it, Hikaru. Sakamoto Hikaru,” Akira tested the name out, and it danced off his tongue with ease. “Nice to meet you ‘Karu, I’m your uncle Aki…!” He whispered this like it was some sort of secret, taking one of the tiny, sun-kissed hands in his._

_Almost immediately the tiny, sun-kissed hand curled around his pointer finger and thumb. A pretty sturdy grip for a tiny human._

_“Shit…” Ryuji started with wide eyes at the sight, Akira blushing but grinning like a fool._

_“I think she likes me, Ryu. That’s good, right? I heard once that babies and pets are good judges of character, so if she likes me I’m good! She likes me, she likes me.”_

_“Who wouldn’t like you, man? Chill out with that.”_

_“Hahaha.”_

“-yuji? Ryuji!”

“Huh?”

Akira looked at his boyfriend of over fifteen years at this point with a bemused gleam in his eyes, shaking his head. “I was asking if you’re okay, you haven’t touched your pancakes.”

“Oh yeah, yeah I’m good! Just thinkin’ too hard, I guess.”

“Don’t hurt yourself, Dad.”

“Haha, you’re so funny.” Ryuji stuck out his tongue at Hikaru. He started to dig in, stuffing one whole into his mouth. Hikaru made a face while Akira smiled into his coffee. “See, they’re good.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Dad!”

“Says the brat that does the same thing!”

“I’m not a brat!”

“Yes, yes you are!”

“Yeah, pretty good morning so far,” Akira said as he resumed eating, completely calm as his boyfriend and daughter continued back and forth.

* * *

After breakfast the three went their separate ways only to regroup in the living room half an hour later. “So, what are we doing today?” Ryuji asked Akira as the raven came downstairs after a shower.

“Aren’t you two tired?” Akira asked with a raised brow, running a hand through his still drying hair. “You can take it easy, babe. I can go out by myself.”

“Are you going grocery shopping, Ma?” Hikaru always referred to Akira as “Ma or “Mama” whenever he got all pretty. Well prettier, since Papa and Mama were both very pretty.

“A little bit, luckily the list this week isn’t too long.” Akira said with a cheeky smirk, as both Hikaru and Ryuji had ten stomachs between them. And they had the audacity to blush, too!

“Then we can go with ya,” Ryuji argued, standing up from the couch and throwing an arm around Akira’s shoulders. “And I’m paying.”

“Half.” Akira gave his boyfriend a stern look.

“Full.”

“Half.”

“Full, man.”

“Say half or I pay in full every time. Take it or leave it.” Ryuji scowled.

“You suck, Aki.” Akira snorted.

“I know, and you can’t get enough of it.”

“Gross! Ma, Dad! Grow up!” Hikaru whined, burying her face away in Akira’s side. “I don’t need to hear this stuff.”

“Then cover your ears, brat.”

“I don’t wanna!”

“You two are unbelievable,” Akira said, pocketing the list he made once he refreshed his memory. “If you keep this up I’m grounding both of you.”

“You can ground Dad?” Hikaru was smirking now. Akira nodded, his answering smirk Joker-esque and on point.

“I always ground your dad whenever he misbehaves. He has the pants in this relationship but I control the zipper.”

“I need to be like that when I have a boyfriend! I control the zipper, no way around it.” Hikaru crossed her arms and nodded her head. “I’m learning from the best.”

Ryuji was pink around the cheeks, “You two are a pain in the-”

“Alright, let’s go!” Hikaru was flying out the door before her father could finish, her short golden copper brown hair shining under the rays of the sun. She spun on her heel then headed down the small set of stairs, kicking up concrete as she did so.

“That girl’s a menace,” Ryuji grumbled, more annoyed than angry.

“She’s a Sakamoto.” Was Akira’s response, taking Ryuji’s hand in his. “Come on, you dork. Let’s get going.”

Despite the teasing, Ryuji’s smile was radiant. He squeezed Akira’s hand in his, silently letting him know that this wasn’t over.

He’ll get him back for this later.

* * *

“He’s with us, so keep on walking.” Sakamoto Ryuji hissed to a young woman with her dark hair in braids and thick glasses. He wrapped an arm around Akira’s waist, pulling him close and ignoring the short burst of cold that followed as the freezer door slammed shut.

“S-sorry! I didn’t know!” The girl with her dark hair in braids exclaimed, looking away. She knocked her elbows on the cart handle, avoiding looking up and seeing the fire in the dyed blond’s eyes. “He’s just so cute, especially in that dress he’s wearing-”

“I know he’s cute, he’s my boyfriend. And if he talks to ya fine, but he didn’t say it was okay to go up and touch him. Let’s go,” Ryuji led Akira away and back to their cart, where Hikaru was leaning against. She was frowning, right brow raised and everything.

“What was that about?”

“A lesson in life for ya: even girls can be creepy,” Ryuji said with a roll of his eyes. Akira was grinning like an idiot though, seeming unbothered by what just transpired.

“I already knew that, Dad. Lots of girls creep up on Aoi-chan all the time and I have to step in and remind them to give him space.” Hikaru scoffed, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes. “Creeps come in all shapes, sizes and genders, and if creeps come creeping up on Ma then they have to answer to us. Ma is my Ma, gotta protect him at all costs!”

...

She was so much like Ryuji that it brought tears to Akira’s eyes, and compelled the raven to hug the young girl close to him and scatter kisses along her cheeks. “‘Karu, you are the sweetest thing to ever walk the Earth!”

“M-Ma, we’re in public!” Hikaru whined, not really trying to push Akira off. She was smiling with very red cheeks.

“Who cares? I love my baby girl so much, I don’t care who sees,” Akira argued, smiling into his daughter’s hair. “You and Daddy are always looking out for me, you two are the best.” His gunmetal gray gaze fell on Ryuji, and Akira’s smile softened just a tad. “That’s why I love him, you know? Your daddy always had my back, no matter what. It didn’t take me long to decide he was the one.”

“Wait, but didn’t you say that it took you two a long time to get together?” Hikaru pulled away slightly to look Akira in the eye.

“Yeah, but he was still always there for me,” Akira explained, smiling. “He never left me, and when I moved back to my hometown he even came down to visit me.”

_“Ryuji? What are you doing here…?” Akira’s gunmetal gay eyes were wide as dinner plates, temporarily forgetting the apron still over his clothes and how messier than normal his hair was._

_The dyed blond was looking down at his shoes, hands in the pockets of his thick purple jacket. “I said I’d visit, right? Ma and me, we came to see ya, Aki.”_

_“Your mom is here?” The raven’s eyes immediately brightened, and that made Ryuji’s stomach flutter. It always left him in awe how much Akira adored his mother. Always making second helpings of curry for Ryuji to take home to her, and how he had helped the blond come up with a great gift for her birthday._

_And Ryuji’s mother, Sakamoto Junko, has grown to adore Kurusu Akira like another son. Always asking Ryuji about him, and more than willing to accommodate him when he stayed over._

_It was like she knew something he didn’t…_

_“Yeah, she wanted to see you as much as I did. But is this a bad time? Like, you don’t look too happy to-” Ryuji was saying, only to blush and stifle a gasp when Akira was hugging him tightly out of the blue. “Aki?”_

_“I was surprised because you didn’t tell me! But I’m happy to see you, Ryu...I missed you, a lot. You and your mom, everyone really!” Akira whispered, hiding his flushed face away into his best friend’s shoulder. “I’m free right now, it’s okay. I was just making lunch.”_

_“Your folks?”_

_“They’re not home.” Akira replied, pulling away. His eyes grew slightly sad at this confession, only for him to shrug it off and be all smiles again. “You guys must be tired from the long drive, come on,” the raven took Ryuji’s hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. “Junko!”_

_“Aki, it’s so great to see you!” Junko, a short and petite woman with short, soft black hair and brown eyes came up to Akira. She wasted no time cupping his face to plant a sweet kiss to his forehead, Akira bending down slightly so she could. “Look at you all messy, like always!” She giggled and pinched his cheek, her gaze warm and radiant._

_Ryuji definitely took more after her._

_“You know me,” Akira laughed along with her, leading the three of them back up the porch steps. “You guys arrived just in time, I finished making some lunch. I’ve learned to make things other than curry!”_

_“Good job, sweetie. I can’t wait to have some, Ryuji can’t either. Right, son?”_

_“Y-yeah, sounds good!” Ryuji grinned despite being so flustered, not letting go of Akira’s hand. “I miss your cookin’, Aki.”_

_Akira’s smile touched his eyes. “Like old times, right?”_

_“Yeah, definitely.”_

“Even when I wasn’t around anymore, he still looked for me. Haha, I was too irresistible I guess!” Akira exclaimed with a fond laugh, the eyes behind his thick, whole-rimmed glasses shining like dark pearls as he looked at Ryuji.

Ryuji’s heart skipped a few beats. It’s amazing how he still got this way: shy and insecure, easily flustered. As if he was a teenager all over again, falling in love with this devilishly handsome, reserved yet still kind and sweet raven.

And to think, if they hadn’t met in the rain that fateful day…

“Even when you moved away, you couldn’t get away from me.” Ryuji said with a lopsided grin, throwing in a wink for good measure. And he wouldn’t deny the wave of satisfaction he felt when Akira’s cheeks went from pink to ruby red, matching his dress.

Yeah, totally worth it.

* * *

Ryuji liked the small moments like this one right here, and hoped there were still many more to come.

Akira softly reading to Hikaru, the teenage girl curled up against his right arm. Even though she had headphones in it was clear she was listening to her Ma’s deep voice as she would react to whatever was going on in whatever book they were on now.

This was one of Hikaru’s favorite pastimes. It didn’t matter that she was fourteen going on fifteen, and in high school she still liked being read to. Especially by Akira, who would do the voices for characters and everything. It’s been one of her favorite pastimes since she was really little…

_“It’s okay, it’s okay…” Akira smiled as Hikaru’s sobs died down to little whimpers, and soon she was cooing softly. “I gotcha, I gotcha baby.”_

_“Thanks,” Ryuji said as he was just coming in from work, letting out a sigh of relief as the tears ceased. “I’m sorry, Aki. They held me back for bullshit paperwork and my phone died, and shit…”_

_“Hey it’s okay, you know I work from home,” Akira pointed out, easily cradling the tiny baby with one arm while gently squeezing Ryuji’s shoulder with his free hand. “You know, I think I have an idea.” The raven pulled away to dig into his old school bag, yes he still had that ratty thing, smiling once he found what he was looking for._

_Hikaru soon went from cooing to giggling, the sudden change causing Ryuji to look up from toeing off his shoes. “Dude, what are you..?”_

_That simple white mask. Ryuji hasn’t seen it in years now, yet it fit Akira perfectly now as it did then. Wearing a smile that was all Joker, the raven let tiny, sun-kissed fingers trace the edges of the mask. “Hey there, little thief. My name’s Joker, and I’m here to tell you a story.” Akira slowly eased himself onto the couch, bouncing Hikaru when she whined at being shifted. “It’s okay, I’m a great storyteller. I have a few I think you’ll like,” he let one of the tiny hands cling on to his finger, Hikaru cooing once more when Akira kissed her tiny head. “Let’s see, let’s see...Aha, I got one. I’m going to tell you the story of the famous Captain Kidd. He’s a really good friend of your dad over there, I got to meet him even.”_

_Ryuji just stared, jaw slack and eyes threatening to bulge out of his skull._

_..._

_Kurusu Akira, yeah he was just something else._

_And Ryuji couldn’t resist leaning against the nearest wall and listening in on Akira telling Hikaru, excluding some parts for obvious reasons, about the infamous Phantom Thieves of Hearts. How he would raise or lower the pitch of his voice, make funny faces even with the mask on and how each gesture caused Hikaru to giggle and babble happily. Akira looked so content, so in his element entertaining the infant; if it wasn’t for Ryuji coming and going from time to time he probably would have forgotten the blond was even in the room._

_He was so focused on Hikaru, as if she was the only thing that mattered in the world._

_Maybe to Akira, Hikaru was that..._

“Want to stop here for today or see if we can get another chapter in?” Akira asked Hikaru, no longer using his prime and proper, and very sexy to Ryuji's ears, British accent.

Ryuji snorted as Hikaru crossed her arms, pouting. “Another chapter, you can’t just stop there! It’s a cliffhanger, Mama.”

“That’s what cliffhangers are for, ‘Karu.”

“One more chapter. Please?” The youngest Sakamoto pleaded, clapping her hands together. She looked like an angel right now, with the doe eyes and nose crinkle. And she wasn’t, in the slightest.

But she did have Akira and Ryuji wrapped around her little fingers.

“Alright, one more.”

“Yay thanks, Mama!”

* * *

_“Ryuji! Ryuji get the camera, quick!”_

_The blond snatched his phone off the coffee table and ran in the direction of Akira’s voice, which was coming from the kitchen. “What, what is it?! What’s ‘Karu doing?!”_

_Said little girl was holding on to the door frame, while standing proudly on her own little feet. Her hair was in a side ponytail, her dress frilly and a soft yellow. She looked from Akira to Ryuji, and a happy gurgle left her lips._

_“Go on ‘Karu! Go to Daddy!” Akira encouraged, silent tears running down his cheeks. The little girl looked back at the raven before once again back to Ryuji._

_The dyed blond’s heart was pounding. He dropped to his knees, Akira taking Ryuji’s phone for him as he threw his arms out. “Come on, ya little bugger! You can do it!”_

_“Dada!” Hikaru giggled and started toddling over. She was shaky and nearly fell flat on her face at first, only to shift her weight and keep going forward. One foot in front, left right left right. “Dada!”_

_“I gotcha, Hikaru! I gotcha!”_

_Akira was quiet, afraid of breaking the magical moment. He kept a steady grip on the camera, smiling even with wet, flushed cheeks._

_“Gotcha! Yes, ya did it!” Ryuji gathered his daughter in his arms and kissed her squishy, warm cheek, a few tears escaping him now. Hikaru squealed in delight, unaware of what was really happening but enjoying her daddy’s silly antics. The dyed blond then looked at Akira and scoffed, “What the hell, man? Get over here.”_

_“Language!”_

_“She’s little still, she doesn’t know!” Ryuji argued, turning pink as he grabbed Akira’s wrist and pulled him closer. “Get in here, this your moment too ya know.”_

_“Is it? She’s your baby girl.”_

_“Yours too, because you’re here. You’re raising her with me, so yeah this is yours too.” The ex-Phantom said, really looking at the raven at his side. It wasn’t long before he laced his fingers through Akira’s hair and drew him closer and closer until-_

_“R-Ryuji…” Akira managed to get out before their lips met in a bruising kiss. Ryuji’s eyes squeezed shut, eyebrows pinched together. The raven’s own wide as dinner plates before his eyelids fluttered shut and he kissed back._

_This was the first kiss they’ve ever shared. Sure, they’ve been living together and raising Hikaru as a couple for a while now but...not as a romantic couple. And yet here was Ryuji, kissing Akira and not breaking it until both needed to pull away for air._

_And even once the kiss was done, Ryuji didn’t pull away. The arm not holding Hikaru he wrapped around Akira’s waist, letting them sway back and forth. “This is yours too...she’s yours too, Aki.”_

_“Papa!” Akira and Ryuji both looked down to see Hikaru looking up at them, one of her hands holding on to the front of the raven’s shirt. “Papa,” she repeated, resting her head against Akira’s arm._

_She...she said…_

_“Papa, she called me Papa,” Akira’s tears were back with a vengeance but he looked happier than before. “I thought you only called me Uncle Aki around her.”_

_“I-I was! But I guess...I guess she made up her mind,” Ryuji stumbled a bit over his words, soon pressing his face against Akira’s shoulder. “Dude, just go with it alright? She said it, I’m not against it. I’m Dada, you’re Papa.”_

_The bespectacled raven’s chest rumbled with soft laughter as he kissed Ryuji’s cheek, soon kissing the top of Hikaru’s head. “You did great, baby. Dada and Papa are very proud of you.”_

_“Dada! Papa!”_

* * *

“I’m gonna ask your papa to marry me,” Ryuji said to Hikaru one early afternoon, while Akira was out with Narukami Yu, Arisato Minako and Arisato Minato. The raven shared a very strong bond with his fellow Wildcards, setting aside at least one day a month to spend time with them. If Ryuji was another type of guy, he’d be a little jealous that his boyfriend/partner in parenthood would go off who knows where to hang out with people he didn’t know very well.

But he wasn’t another type of guy. He was confident in his and Akira’s relationship, they were in love and had a daughter together. All was well.

Hikaru snorted, crossing her arms. “Fuckin’ finally…”

“‘Karu, language!”

“How are you gonna ask Papa?” Hikaru was jumping excitedly in place. “You have to do something special for ‘im! He deserves it.”

“I was just gonna ask him once he got back.” Ryuji said, sweat dropping. Hikaru slapped her dad on the arm.

“Not good enough! Papa’s been with us since I was a baby, and he’s loved you and me so much you wouldn’t be able to see it from space. You have to show him you care, Dad. You’ve kept him waiting for years.”

“...I hate it when you sound like your papa.” Ryuji grumbled, breathing in deeply through his nose. “Fine, fine. I’ll think of something."

* * *

“What’s going on between your dads, ‘Karu?” Aoi asked his one and only best friend since they were in diapers, wide dull green eyes on the blond and raven that were Hikaru’s Dad and Papa respectively.

Hikaru hummed in confusion before glancing over her shoulder.

Her dad was talking to her papa, hands in his pockets and nodding his head from time to time. They were both smiling, the conversation seeming innocent enough.

Only for a few minutes though, until her dad was on one knee in front of her papa. Papa’s hands clasped over his mouth, eyes wide and watering; that was something Hikaru can tell even from far away, because the raven was more emotional, the irony, than Dad. “Holy shit…!”

“He’s proposing! ‘Karu, your dad’s proposing to your papa!”

“Y...Yes! Yes!” Akira’s exclamations were loud and nice and clear, his arms trapping Ryuji’s neck in a vice grip as he hugged him close. The blond was laughing and hugging Akira around the waist, scattering kisses along his shoulder before bringing their lips together sweetly.

“It’s about time, huh? They look so happy together,” Aoi said, pushing back a lock of white-blond hair from his smooth forehead and meeting Hikaru’s eyes. “Congrats, ‘Karu-chan!”

“Now I just need a little brother or sister!” Hikaru cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

“Wait, what?”

* * *

“Hikaru, do you mind getting your brother ready for school? I’m almost done with breakfast!”

“Sure thing, Ma! Ren-Ren, time to get up!”

Hikaru hopped out of bed like a spring, her hair messy and eyes bright. She was quick to kiss the top of her baby brother’s head before shaking him gently, “Ren-Ren...Ren-Ren, wake up,” she said with a giggle, “Time to go to school.”

A soft yawn came up the blanketed lump under the pillow, soon followed by a tiny head with black hair. Wide gray eyes, the color of gunmetal, blinked open slowly, and tiny, pale fists rubbed at them to get rid of the itchy sand. “Time for school?” The little boy echoed, pushing off the thick comforter wrapped around him.

He was wearing a black t-shirt with a red and purple kitty on the front, and black-and-white checkered shorts.

Hikaru’s cheeks went pink when her little brother yawned again. He was so cute…!

“Yeah, time for school. Ma’s almost finished making breakfast, our favorite.”

Sakamoto Ren’s eyes were soon bigger and wider and eager, hurriedly climbing down the stairs to the left of his bed. “Yay, pancakes! I’ll race ya!” He stopped to peck his sister on the cheek, his smile touching his eyes.

Hikaru didn't need to be reminded that that face, that sweet smile will be one she'll protect forever. Sakamoto Hikaru and Ren were a team; there's nothing she wouldn't do for the little munchkin.

Even "purposely" lose a race to him to make him happy. Yeah, he was definitely worth it.

“Haha okay, I’ll meetcha there!”


End file.
